Our Past & Future

Mission

We are dedicated to education, exploration and collaboration in all forms of glass.

Vision

The North Carolina Glass Center strives to provide:

High quality facilities and support

Teaching at all levels

Innovative approaches to materials, processes and techniques

A strong emphasis on design and collaboration across all disciplines

Responsibility and sustainability for energy, business practices, and funding

Being a center of focus for the artist community in Asheville

Active community outreach

Respecting the rich tradition of glass in the region

Enhancing the Asheville experience

History

Western North Carolina’s place in the art glass movement goes back to the 1970s and counts Mark Peiser, Harvey Littleton, Richard Ritter, Billy Bernstein, Gary Beecham, Rick Beck, Kate Vogel, John Littleton, and Rob Levin among the talented & innovative artists who have called the region home. Today the region boasts more than 60 working glass artists, and a thriving craft community that includes Penland School, The Center for Craft Creativity & Design and more.

Future

With the same spirit of inspiration & collaboration that brought early innovations to the region, North Carolina Glass Center (NCGC or the Center) is poised to become a world-class home for glass artistry in Western North Carolina. Offering programs for a wide variety of skill levels, with resident and guest instructors, NCGC is working towards something for everyone who is inspired to learn.

“Having a studio here in Asheville that is focused on education, exploration and collaboration in all forms of glass is incredibly exciting. It will be such a huge asset to the local, national and even international community. This will be a studio like no other.”



— Alex Berstein, Glass Artist

A SPACE FOR ARTISTRY, INNOVATION AND EDUCATION

More than a facility, NC Glass Center is a way of thinking about glass and its place around us. At it core, the Center is about innovation for how glass can be applied- brought out of the gallery and used in new and varied settings.

GALLERY

The North Carolina Glass Center houses a collection focused on the artists and instructors who create their work onsite in the NCGC studios. This dedication to showcasing regional work, makes the Center a place people can visit again and again seeing a new side of glass with each visit.

The Center hopes to also spotlight the rich history of glass in this region, highlighting the many artists and their contributions and importance to the glass art movement.

“ Western North Carolina is where the studio glass movement started. It has been a hotbed for innovative work in glass since the beginning of glass in America. The North Carolina Glass Center will create a world class facility and resources for glass art and glass in combination with other materials.” – 

— Tom Oreck, NCGC Board

EDUCATION

In keeping with the themes of exploration and innovation in all things glass, educational programming at the North Carolina Glass Center encompasses multiple audiences:

Public Access & EducationThe public is welcome at the Center! Through exhibitions, demonstrations and workshops, the Center educates the general public about the science, history, artistry and utility of glass.

Professional Development at Every LevelThe Center seeks outstanding artists in the field to share their craft with others. From the student who is touching glass for the first time to a professional in the field, the learning never ends. The Center offers classes for every level of student from someone starting out, to an experienced maker looking to refine a particular skill or technique.

Partnership for Educational OutreachWe are developing strategic partnerships with institutions of higher education, public school systems, and local organizations will provide an interaction with the medium of glass and an artistic outlet to a wide audience throughout the region.